Improved brick-kiln



tluitxl ltait/af sew ateut PETER CLARK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.`

Letters PatentNo. 86,363, dated ,February 2, 1869; antedated .Tamm/ry16, 1869.

IMPROVE!) BRICK-KILN.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part f thesama To all 'whom it may vczmce/m:

Be it known that I, PETER CLARK, of the city of Brooklyn, in the countyof Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Construction and Arrangement of Kilns for Drying andBurning Bricks, and other purposes; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,in wl1ich- Figure 1 'is a plan of my improved kiln, with portionsthereof broken out, to illustrate' their internal arrangement anddetails, the whole illustrating one general form of constructing andcombining the same;

Figure 2, an elevation of one section of the kilns for burning thebricks;

Figure 3,v an enlarged transverse vertical section through the floor andone of the fire-chambers of the kiln, 2;

Figure 4, a horizontal section in the line x a: offig. 2

Figure 5, a transverse section in line y y of fig. 1;

Figure 6, an enlarged detached elevation, illustratin'g the manner ofsupporting and propelling r'ny endless-chain platform, through thedrying-oven, the chain being cut in section;

Figure 7, a detached enlarged view of the construc-y tion andarrangement of fire-bricks used to close the passage-ways into theburning-kilns; and

Figure 8, a longitudinal'section of a portion of the endless chain, inline '2 z of fig. 6.

The nature of my invention. consists in so constructing a circular orcurved drying-kiln as that it may receive an endless chain or platform,to be used in combination therewith, and be carried through the same oneor more times, and be made to pass continuously in,

through, and out ofit, by suitable propelling-machinery;

and in heating said drying-kiln by the waste heat obtained in thecooling off of one or more of a series of burning-kilns combinedtherewith; the whole apparatus being so arranged as that different lotsof bricks may be dried, burned, and cooled simultaneously, with a greateconomy of time, labor, and expense, and also so as to burn the brickswith more uniformity, and less wastage, than by any of the ordinarywell-known processes.

lo enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the construction and operation of my improved kilns.

Said kilns and drying-oven, or chamber, are built of common masonry, inconcentric circles, as shown in tig. 1 ofthe accompanying drawings, themiddle division being the drying-oven, enclosed by an inner'and outertier of kilns, for burning the bricks.

These burning-kilns A A adjoin each other, and may be longer or shorter,each being separated from and made independent of the others by suitabledivisionwalls, a a.

They do not extend entirely around the drying-oven F, but arediscontinued on one side, (see fig. 1,) 'to allow room for thebrick-machine, which is to be used in connection with this apparatus,and also to give room for the removal of the dried bricks from thechainplatform G G, which passes through the oven, as hereinafterdescribed, and, moreover, to allow space for a passage-way, C, into theopen area encircled by the kilns.

The circumference of the circle formed by the combined burning anddryingkilns,as well as the number of kilns, will be determined by thenumber of bricks to be dried and burnt, that is, by the number and capacity of the`b1ick-machines with which they may be used.

The drying-oven, or circular chamber, F, may be made, ordinarily, fourfeet wide, 'and six feet high, or the same Vheight as the kilns.

The kilns may be twelve feet wide, ten feet high, and twenty-ve feetlong, more or less.

The oven and kilns may be arched with masonry, or covered withsheet-iron'.

The roofs of thekilns A A are provided with apertures, p p, formingvents, for the escape of smoke and vapor, covered with iron shutters,which may be opened and closed at pleasure.

These vents p penable the operatives to regulate the draught, andconfine and control the heat and dame in any part of the kilns.

These kilns have, each, one or more doors, D, fig. 2, one of which, D',may be larger than the others, to

4facilitate the filling in and taking out of bricks therefrom.

These doorways D have sheet-iron shutters upon the outside thereof, andare also closed on the inside, while the kilns are burning, by re-clayplates, d d, (see g. 7,) made so as to interlock in the centre, andslip, at their outer edges, into grooves formed in the walls to receivethem. (See figs. 4 and 7.)

Between thedoorways of the kilns I form sightholes, c o, tig. 2, for thepurpose of inspecting the condition of the burning bricks.

air-chambers,'i 7s, are formed, on each side ofthe central partition, m,therein, whilst the inner wall has but a single air-chamber,

This central partition, m, of the outer wall is made thick and solid, tosupport the kiln, and the inner par titin, m', of the inner wall is madeto' correspond thereto.

The air-chambers thus formed in the walls prevent them from breaking andcracking from too great and rapid expagsion and ycontraction in theoperation of the kilns, the thinuess of he inside partition (built offire-brick) permitting a free expansion and contraction thereof,independently of the thick main wall m, which is protected by theinterposed air-chamber The arched Vfire-chambers E of the kilns (seefigs. 2, 3, and 6) extend from the front to the rear of the kilns, andare tted with grate-bars overash-pits, in the usual manner. They are socontracted at the top as that a common lire-clay brick, f, gs. 3 and 4,may be set lengthwise, on edge, across the opening therefrom into thekiln; and I use these bricks ,to form a gra-ting over theseopenings,-leaving spaces'between them, for the passage ofthe flame andheat up into the kiln.`

Tofacilit-ate the heating of the kilns, and distribute the ire moreevenly,.I provide lateral iues, g g, extending up diagonally from theroofs of the fire-chambers E, on eitherside thereof, through the licorof the kiln, opening into the saine at equal distances apart (See iig.4, and also section of these lateral fines in gOn)either side of eachfirechamber E, I form also horizontal cold-air fines, h h., fig. 4,extending parallel thereto, from front to rear, and provided, atsuitableintervals, with lateral branches, opening into the rechamber just abovethe grate-bars, e, therein.

These lateral fines are opened and closed, each, by a separat-e valve,controlled by an iron rod, extending to the front, so that any one ofthem maybe opened at pleasure, and acurrent of air be thereby throwninto any part of the fire-chamber, to quicken the iire at that point.

These cold-air ues are closed exteriorly by suitable iron shutters.

Through the rear wall of each burning-kiln A, encircling the drying-ovenF, (both in the inner and outer series,) an opening, or-tlue, a, is madeinto said dryingoven. Y

This flue-opening (which may be'about six inches square) is closed by aniron valve, or damper, operated by a rod, extending up to the roof ofthe kiln.

When the bricks have been properly burned in any one kiln, the flue amay be unclosed by turning the valve, and the waste heat of the kiln, asthe bricks are cooling, allowed to pass into vthe drying-oven, to drythe fresh bricks passing throng-h the same.

The temperature thus obtained in thevdryi'ng-oven F may be kept undercontrol by means of the valves in the iiues n.

The drying-oven F may be made toform an entire circle, as shown in thedrawing.

Through its roof, vent-holes q q, provided with shutters, lare formed,at convenient intervals, to permit the vapor from the drying bricks toescape.

Intermediate these vent-holes, trap-doors may be placed, affordingaccess to iron steps leading intothe oven.

Y Some of the vent-holes q may be fitted with lmica plates, throughwhich the condition of the bricks passing through the oven may beinspected at pleasure.

I contemplate forming fire-places in this oven, on

which to kindle fires, to heat the same, when required,

before heat can be obtained from the kilns.

The walls of the kilns and oven are all tied together, and strengthenedand secured, by transverse rods and braces of iron.

Through the drying-oven F, an endless chain, forming a platform, for thefresh-made bricks, is made to pass continuously onc'e or twice, with aspiral coil.

This y chain-platform is constructed of sheet-iron plates, G G, whichmay ordinarily be madeone-quarter of an inch in thickness, eight feetlong, and thirty inches wide.

These plates are united in a` continuous' chain by means of tonguesprojecting centrally from one end of each, iitting into a recess in thenext, and secured by a simplepivot-pin, as shown iniigs. 6 and 8.

The chain is supported, along its entire length and circuit, by means ofsuitable frictionrollersfl'`l H, fixed upon axles, r, extending acrossunder the chain.

.The inner roller, H, on each axle, is provided with a small iiange, tokeepV the chain from slipping,- and the outer roller, H, is left free toturn loose upon the axle. y I

The chain passes under or close by the brick-machine; thence directlyinto the drying-oven F, enter- 'ing the same at the top; and thence,following a gentle incline down through the same, with one or moreturns, finally emerges therefrom at the bottom,and passes on upto themachine again. .l v

The fresh bricks made by the machine may be delivered therefrom directlyupon the chain-platform, whichzwill carry them down through thedrying-oven, the mbtion ofthe platform being so regulated, in proportionto its length, as that the4 bricks shall be dried perfectly in theirpassage through the same, -so that, when they come out, they can beloaded directly upon Vcars running upon the tram-ways w w, fig. l, tothe burning-kilns.

the drying-oven is such as that the weight. of the freshmade bricksloaded thereon will materially assist in producing a forward movement ofthe chain. This movement is secured and regulated, however, by means ofbevel-wheels, s s, iig. 6, upon upright shafts, t t, in the dryingovengearing into corresponding wheels upon the ends of a suitable number ofthe axles supporting the chain.

The hanged wheels H of these driving-axles are provided with teeth,which, in their revolution, engage inl notches er slots cut in theplates of the endless chain passing over them,'and thus serve to propelthe same forward.

The upright shafts t are protected from the heat of the oven byenclosing-tubes or walls, u, hg. 6, off-sheetiron or lire-brick,'whichmay be kept cool by air-passages opening to the outer air.

`Motion is communicated to these upright shafts t by means of horizontalshafts, o o o, radiating from the centre of the circle .of kilns,provided with suitable yspur-wheels, gearing into corresponding wheelsat the foot of said upright shafts t, the radiating horizontal shafts oo o being all set in motion from a main shaft, K, (communicating withanddrivenby the `brick-mai chine,) by means of suitable bevelledgearing, L, as

illustrated in lig. l of the drawings.

I ordinarily use upright driving-shafts t t, placed at four quarterlypoints inthe drying-oven, to propel the endless chain, but, where'anadditional amount of motive-power is required, additionalspur-wheels-.may be employed'at intermediate points, and, instead ofbeing driven by shafting, as hereinbefore described, the spurwheelsmaybe secured upon horizontal shafts, extending outwardly beyond the wallsofthe kilns, to be driven by pulleys upon these outer ends, carryingbelts connected to the horizontal shafts O O.

Instead of using an endless' chain, of hinged plates, running over iixedrollers, I contemplate using, as an equivalent therefor, a chain ortrain of cars or platforms upon wheels, running upon a fixedinelinedtrack through the kiln, or an inclined platform, formedcontinuously in an unbroken circle, or in two or more separate sections,and running upon wheels.

In burning bricks with the kilns above described, any fuel may bc used,and bricks may be thoroughly and equally burned, with proper fuel, infrom fifteen to twenty-five hours.

When in full operation, the bricks are being filled into one set ofkilns, taken out of another, burning in 'The inclination of thechain-platform down through' another, and cooling in another, all at thesame time, whilst the fresh-made bricks are drying continuously in theenclosed drying-oven F so fast as made.

The size and form of the different parts of my apparatus may be varied;yet, by preserving the same relative combinations, the same effect willvbe produced, and I contemplate such variations.

Bymaking the drying-oven wider, the chain-platform Gr G may be carriedtherein spirally, not only dowini through the same, with one or moreturns, but also be made to return upward therein, so as to come outthere from at the top on the same level upon which it entered; or, itmay be carried from one circular-oven to another' on a tangential line,thus uniting two circular ovens, to obtain a sufficient distance in themovement of the platform. A

My improved circular drying-oven, and its inclined endless chain orplatform, may be used independently of the kilns for burning bricks, thenecessary heat being obtained from Vother sources to make it availablein drying hops, fruits, peat, 85o.

Itis not essential that thev drying-ovenshould have the kilns A arrangedon both sides thereof, as illustrated in the drawings. It may be made tooperate successfully with an outer o`r inner tier of kilns alone.

Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Anendless-chain drying-platform, passing into,-

through, and out of a curved or circular drying-oven,

or kiln, when so arranged and combined therewith as to have a continuousdownward inclination through the same, substantially in the manner andfor the purpose herein set forth. v

' 2. The combination of the single continuous dryingoven F with theseries of independent, distinct brickburning kilns A A,oonstructed bythe side of said oven, and having, each, separate communicationtherewith by means of flue-openings n n, substantially as and for thepurpose herein described.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification.

PETER CLARK. Witnesses:

DAVID A. BURR, H. H. Yonne.

